Russia's top-ranked player Daria Kasatkina rates rising Australian teen Emerson Jones a "scary" prospect as the exciting local talent builds towards her Australian Open debut.
Jones, who tops the junior girls' world rankings, pushed world No.9 Kasatkina all the way in their Adelaide International meeting on Wednesday night.
The 16-year-old from the Gold Coast won the first two games of the opening set without dropping a point, but was eventually beaten 7-5 6-3 by her vastly more experienced opponent.
Kasatkina, a French Open semi-finalist and Wimbledon quarter-finalist, was troubled at times by Jones' clean and powerful ground strokes.
"It was a pretty intense match," Kasatkina said after the match.
"I'm really happy with how I was able to come back after a very quick beginning, let's say, of the match.
"She's got really good tennis, so I'm already a bit scared, to be honest. She's just 16 (years old)."
Jones has already drawn comparisons with three-time major champion Ash Barty and won plenty of admirers this week in Adelaide.
She banked her first win over a WTA top-50 ranked player, sweeping aside China's world No.37 Wang Xinyu 6-4 6-0 in the opening round.
Kasatkina's push for a ninth career WTA title continues against American world No.20 Madison Keys in a Thursday evening quarter-final.
The 27-year-old has twice reached the final in Adelaide, losing to Jelena Ostapenko last year and Belinda Bencic the previous summer.
Sixth seed Diana Shnaider meets Yulina Putinseva in a night match, with the winner to join top seed Jessica Pegula and Liudmila Samsonova in the semi-finals.
American Pegula led compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 6-4 2-0 when her opponent retired because of an as yet undisclosed injury.
World No.26 Samsonova upset American second seed Emma Navarro 6-4 6-4.